Very interesting question: see if this can help...ongoing study:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00806559?term=doctor+patient+interaction&rank=9
Space and Interaction Trial: Room Design and Patient-Physician Interaction (SIT)
This study is ongoing, but not recruiting participants.
First Received: December 10, 2008 No Changes Posted
Sponsors and Collaborators:
Mayo Clinic
Steelcase
Information provided by:
Mayo Clinic
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT00806559
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to improve the clinical encounter through the design of the clinical environment. We will conduct a randomized controlled trial to measure the extent to which a newly designed clinical room, compared to a traditional room, affects the patient-physician interaction. We will judge this outcome by (a) videotaping encounters; and (b) conducting post-visit surveys with patients and an interview with physicians. We will use both qualitative and quantitative tools, including a validated and widely used interaction coding system on the videotapes, to draw inferences from these data.
Condition
Intervention
Internal Medicine Patients
Participating Staff
Other: Re-designed room
Other: Control room
U.S. FDA Resources
Study Type:
Interventional
Study Design:
Health Services Research, Randomized, Double Blind (Subject, Outcomes Assessor), Parallel Assignment
Official Title:
SIT Trial: The Effect of Clinical Room Design on the Quality of the Clinical Encounter
Further study details as provided by Mayo Clinic:
Primary Outcome Measures:
Patient and Clinician Interaction variables (duration of the encounter, patient sense of control in encounter, patient's ability to access information from the computer monitor and the quality of the verbal and non-verbal interaction). [ Time Frame: Immediately post clinical visit (survey) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Patient experience of the clinical encounter. The following variables will be measured: patient satisfaction with the room, patient satisfaction with the encounter and the quality of the relationship. [ Time Frame: Immediately post visit ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Estimated Enrollment:
60
Study Start Date:
July 2007
Estimated Study Completion Date:
February 2009
Primary Completion Date:
November 2007 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Arms
Assigned Interventions
Usual room: Active Comparator
Patients in this arm will see their clinician in the usual clinical exam room
Other: Control room
This is the usual clinical room for a clinical visit, with physician at desk and chairs along the wall for patient/family.
Re-designed room: Experimental
Patients assigned to this arm will see the physician in a redesigned clinical exam room
Other: Re-designed room
In the redesigned room patients and clinicians are sitting at a single table in a different configuration compared to the usual clinical exam room, with the doctor at the computer and two chairs for the patient and family/friends.
Eligibility
Ages Eligible for Study:
18 Years and older
Genders Eligible for Study:
Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
No
Criteria
Eligible Clinicians:
In the Department of GIM or Preventive Medicine
Able and Willing to participate in research study.
Eligible patients:
Patient of a clinician participating in the study
18 years or older
Seeing clinician for return/summary visit.
Exclusion Criteria:
1.) Not able to give informed consent.
Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00806559
Locations
United States, Minnesota
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, Minnesota, United States, 55905
Sponsors and Collaborators
Mayo Clinic
Steelcase
Investigators
Principal Investigator:
Victor M. Montori, M.D., MSc
Mayo Clinic
More Information
Additional Information:
Mayo Clinic Clinical Trials
No publications provided
Responsible Party:
Mayo Clinic ( Victor Montori, M.D. )
Study ID Numbers:
07-000135
Study First Received:
December 10, 2008
Last Updated:
December 10, 2008
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT00806559 History of Changes
Health Authority:
United States: Institutional Review Board
Keywords provided by Mayo Clinic:
effects clinical space
follow-up appointments
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on May 07, 2009
Best,
Paul
'Non illegitimis carborundum'
(Don't ever let them/it wear or grind you down)
Never let life break you and through it all, you will see you had it all in you all along...
Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker.
Expose your ideas to the dangers of controversy.
Speak your mind and fear less the label of 'crackpot' than the stigma of conformity.
And on issues that seem important to you, you stand up and be counted at any cost.
Thomas J Watson (1874-1956)
--- On Sun, 5/10/09, Martin Dawes, Dr. <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
From: Martin Dawes, Dr. <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Where should the patient be in relation to the desk and the doctor in the consulting room
To: [log in to unmask]
Received: Sunday, May 10, 2009, 3:39 PM
I am sorry to do this but I cannot find evidence about this.
For the last 30 years in UK general practice the patient has sat to one side of the desk during a consultation, rather than behind the desk opposite the doctor. This means they can see the computer, the doctor can touch the patient, body language can be more easily seen and there is no physical barrier between patient and doctor.
The reason for the change 30 years ago was to improve communication but where is the evidence?
I have been asked by a new teaching unit who have the patient the other side of the desk, for evidence of improved communication. I have not found any evidence despite using quite a lot of non medical databases.
Can anyone help?
Thanks
Martin
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